Multiple-pile-tufting machines, method and product

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to tufting apparatus of the type for producing pile fabrics such as carpets and the like. The disclosure further teaches a novel use of a novel apparatus for producing a pile fabric wherein efficient use is made of the yarn so that maximum usage of the yarn is utilized for the pile surface and a minimum for the backstitch.



1. A tufting machine for producing a pile fabric including a needle adapted to penetrate a base fabric during each stroke thereof for carrying a yarn through the base fabric, a base fabric support means, means for feeding a base fabric in a first direction adjacent to first surface of said support means and in a second direction adjacent to a second surface of said support means such that during feeding of the base fabric said needle will penetrate the base fabric at longitudinally spaced points during each stroke thereof, first looper means cooperating with said needle and its yarn to form a loop extending from one of the points of penetration of said needle, second looper means cooperating with said needle and its yarn to form a loop extending from another of the points of penetration of said needle.
 2. A tufting machine as recited in claim 1 wherein said needle and said base fabric support means are relatively inclined at an angle of less than 90*.
 3. A tufting machine as recited in claim 1 wherein a substantial portion of said first looper means is disposed adjacent to said first surface of said base fabric support means and said second looper means is disposed in the region of the opposite side of said base fabric support means.
 4. A tufting machine as recited in claim 3 wherein said first looper means includes a curved portion which extends around one end of said base fabric support means and toward said second surface of said base fabric support means.
 5. A tufting machine as recited in claim 3 wherein a plurality of needles and first and second loopers are provided and each first looper being disposed between adjacent needles and second loopers.
 6. A tufting machine as recited in claim 3 wherein said first looper means is reciprocable in a plane parallel to a plane including the path of travel of said needle.
 7. A tufting machine as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for initiating relative lateral movement between said needle, said looper means, and the base fabric.
 8. A tufting machine as recited in claim 7 wherein said means for initiating relative lateral movement includes a laterally displaceable needle bar supporting said needle for lateral and reciprocable movement, and means connected to said laterally displaceable needle bar for initiating lateral movement thereof with said needle.
 9. A tufting machine as recited in claim 7 wherein said base fabric support means and one of said first and second looper means is laterally displaceable whereby during lateral displacement of said base fabric support means and said one looper means the base fabric and said one looper means will be shifted laterally relative to said needle and the other of said looper means.
 10. A tufting machine as recited in claim 9 wherein the major portion of said first looper means is disposed substantially wholly adjacent said first surface of said base fabric, and said first looper means is laterally displaceable.
 11. A method of forming a pile fabric comprising feeding a base fabric in a first direction for a portion of its travel and changing the direction of feed for another portion of its travel, penetrating the base fabric with a yarn-carrying needle adjacent to that portion of the base fabric wherein its travel is changed so that the needle penetrates the base fabric at longitudinally spaced first and second points in the base fabric, holding the yArn adjacent to one face of the base fabric during removal of the needle from the base fabric to form a loop of yarn on said one face, positioning a loop-retaining element between the needle and the yarn extending from the base fabric prior to the next penetration stroke of the needle, advancing the base fabric, again penetrating the base fabric with the yarn-carrying needle, holding the yarn adjacent to said one surface of the base fabric during removal of the needle from the base fabric whereby during each two penetration strokes of the needle two spaced loops are formed at spaced points in the base fabric and are interconnected by a third loop extending between said spaced points.
 12. A method of forming a pile fabric with pile forming components including a yarn-carrying needle and first and second loop-forming elements, said method steps comprising: feeding a base fabric in a first direction for a portion of its travel and substantially reversing the direction of travel of the base fabric for a second portion of its travel, penetrating the base fabric with the yarn-carrying needle adjacent to the vicinity wherein the travel of the base fabric is reversed such that the needle penetrates the base fabric at spaced first and second points in the base fabric, holding the yarn with one of the first and second loop forming elements during removal of the needle from the base fabric to form a loop extending from one surface of the base fabric, intercepting a portion of the yarn carried by the needle with the other of said first and second loop-forming elements during the next penetration stroke of the needle to form a loop extending between penetration points in the base fabric, penetrating the base fabric a second time with the needle at a point downstream of the first penetration point with respect to the direction of travel of the base fabric such that the needle again penetrates the base fabric at spaced first and second points in the base fabric, holding the yarn with one of the first and second loop forming elements during removal of the needle from the base fabric to form another loop extending from said one surface of the base fabric whereby for each two penetration strokes of the needle two loops will be formed on said one surface of the base fabric by said yarn carrying needle and said one of said first and second loop forming elements and a third loop will be formed on said one surface of the base fabric by said yarn carrying needle and the other of said first and second loop forming elements.
 13. A method of forming a pile fabric as recited in claim 12 further comprising, initiating relative lateral movement between said yarn carrying needle, said base fabric, and at least one of said first and second loop-forming elements between penetration strokes of said needle.
 14. A method of forming pile fabric as recited in claim 13 further comprising, initiating lateral movement of the other of said first and second loop retaining elements and said base fabric with respect to said needle.
 15. A method of forming a pile fabric as recited in claim 13 further comprising, initiating lateral movement of said needle with respect to said base fabric and said first and second loop forming elements.
 16. An apparatus for producing textile fabrics such as carpet or the like including means for passing a yarn through a base fabric, a base fabric support means for supporting a base fabric, guide means for maintaining a transverse fold in the base fabric during travel over said base fabric support means, said base fabric support means and said guide means being disposed relative to said means for passing a yarn through the base fabric such that the yarn is passed through a portion of the transverse fold in the base fabric, first loop forming means for grasping the yarn after passing through the base fabric, to form a loop extending from one surface of the base fabric, and second loop forming means for forming a loop on said one surface of said base fabric and extending betwEen successive points in the base fabric where the yarn is initially passed through the transverse fold in the base fabric.
 17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 further comprising means for initiating relative movement between said second loop forming means, said means for passing a yarn through a base fabric and the base fabric.
 18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said means for initiating relative movement includes means for initiating lateral movement of said second loop forming means and the base fabric.
 19. An apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said means for initiating relative movement includes means for initiating lateral movement of said means for passing a yarn through a base fabric.
 20. An apparatus as recited in claim 17 wherein said means for initiating relative movement includes means for reciprocating said second loop-forming means.
 21. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said second loop forming means includes a loop forming element having a body portion and a hook portion at one end thereof, and said hook portion being disposed such that it extends around the transverse fold adjacent to one surface of the base fabric.
 22. A pile fabric comprising a base fabric having rows of pile loops extending from a first surface thereof to form a pile surface and rows of backstitch on a second surface thereof opposite from said first surface, said rows of pile loops including a first row of pile loops with each pile loop thereof extending from a point in said base fabric, a second row of pile loops disposed parallel to said first row with each pile loop in said second row extending from a point in said base fabric spaced laterally from the points in said first row, and interconnecting pile loops extending from said first surface and bridging said first and second rows of pile loops.
 23. A pile fabric as recited in claim 22 wherein each said interconnecting pile loop extends between a point in each of said first and second rows disposed between adjacent pile loops in each of said first and second rows. 